


Come with me, my love, I only ask that of you

by AgostoAout



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: F/F, Mentioned Ephraim (Fire Emblem), Mutual Pining, Post War, eirika dealing with lyon's death, eirika goes on a trip with her gf and her gay friends, mentioned Seth, mentioned gerik, mentioned gerik/joshua, mercenary!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:43:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27634955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgostoAout/pseuds/AgostoAout
Summary: Eirika sighed. It wasn't political issues that kept her awake tonight, such as letters from the nobles asking for money to restore their lands, or administrative issues. It was a lonely letter that she had received a week ago. She hadn't dared to open it simply because of the sender's name - normally she was grateful for any letter that wasn't work. She appreciated that her friends tried to keep in touch despite the distance that separated them.L'arachel, princess of Rausten.She looked at the letter one more time before remorse filled all her thoughts. For how long had they not spoken? For more than a year, she was sure of that. Before the troops left for their respective homes they held a great banquet at Rausten. All victorious, overjoyed to finally have defeated the demon king. And Lyon, too.
Relationships: Eirika/L'Arachel (Fire Emblem)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! english is not my first language so sorry for any mistakes!

Renais, a prosperous land that had seen the twins grow up. It had given them everything from care to food, it and it’s people. Now, after a war and an invasion, it was time for them to return all the favors to their nation.

No one had told them that it would be easy, rather, quite the opposite. The workload was extraordinary and it was not unusual to see an Ephraim scowl trying to fight sleep or an Eirika lost in thought late at night - trying to work with little success. 

They wholeheartedly appreciated the help of the neighboring country, whose king had even sent his own son - Innes - from time to time to deal with the difficulties of running a kingdom. Tana also visited frequently, and lately at the hand of a pink-haired mercenary. 

She was glad to see that her former comrades from the war lived a happy life. It was what everyone deserved, not… not being locked in a room day and night thinking about farm budgets. But this was the fate of kings and queens, even more so of kings in times of crisis.

Eirika sighed. It wasn't political issues that kept her awake tonight, such as letters from the nobles asking for money to restore their lands, or administrative issues. It was a lonely letter that she had received a week ago. She hadn't dared to open it simply because of the sender's name - normally she was grateful for any letter that wasn't work. She appreciated that her friends tried to keep in touch despite the distance that separated them.

_ L'arachel, princess of Rausten.  _

She looked at the letter one more time before remorse filled all her thoughts. For how long had they not spoken? For more than a year, she was sure of that. Before the troops left for their respective homes they held a great banquet at Rausten. All victorious, overjoyed to finally have defeated the demon king. And Lyon, too. 

It was still a sensitive topic for her but over time she had learned to accept it. Her friend was no longer in this world, and it was by her own hand that he had left it. At the time she was completely in shock, while Ephraim was the one who had shed tears. It wasn't until the party, when everyone was congratulating each other, that she didn't realize the seriousness of the matter.

She had to excuse herself to one of the outer corridors, where hardly anyone passed, to be able to cry in peace. She didn't want to ruin anyone's party, least of all L'arachel's. Her own brother was sitting in a corner talking to Innes, not happy but calmer than the day of the battle.

Why couldn't she be stronger? Why did she have to cry now, why hadn't she been able to save Lyon, or her father, or Selena, or Glen, or any of the innocent people who had died in the war? 

Perhaps if her brother had assumed leadership they would not have lost the relic of their kingdom. 

And it is that time and again she revived in her mind as her sword, her polished and sharp sword cut the flesh, the face, the clothes, the words of who had been her best friend. The one who had deceived her and had destroyed her kingdom, who had killed her father and plunged the world into despair- 

No. That had been the Fomortiis and Lyon was just a victim. She was sure of it and although she hadn't been capable enough to do something, although she had been useless, she knew that her friend was different from the herald of darkness and death that had taken possession of his body. It was a kind of torture and hope, to think that Lyon had been in there with the demon while he deceived her and made her dance in the palm of his hand. Torture because she had never wanted more than anything to save him, and hope because maybe she could have saved him and the problem was not with the world but her own weakness.

The beautiful marble floor was cold against her hands that leaned against it. She was grateful for the stockings she wore under her dress, but little by little they were getting wet with the tears that fell from her eyes. She didn't want to keep thinking about Lyon, her failure and the past, but it was the only thing on her mind and it would be hypocritical of her to try to be happy.

Did Lyon mean so little to her that she was already going to recover from his death? Did she have the right to recover from her loss when it was she herself who had taken his life and who had not been in her weakest moments?

She had to get up quickly from the ground when she heard footsteps. She tried to wipe her tears when she heard L'arachel's voice searching for her, she didn't want to worry the princess. During the war she had developed a… particular appreciation for her. She didn't know how to put it into words but she was the last person she wanted to disappoint. 

"Eirika? Eirika are you there? "

When she saw her approaching, Eirika turned her back on her. If she saw her face she would know that she was crying.

"Eirika, are you okay?" 

L'arachel took her hand, a simple gesture that broke down all the barriers she had built even though the other woman was unaware of the effect it had on her. "Yes," she managed to whisper but knew L'arachel was not convinced.

Her hand left hers to move to caress her face, forcing her to look into her eyes. The tears had returned without ever asking for permission, leaving her speechless and vulnerable to the Princess of Rausten. 

"... Lyon?" She asked, looking for an answer.

Eirika could only nod and rest her head on the hand that held her gently. L'arachel kept a precious stone that she carried in her handbag, Eirika didn't really know why, but she didn't ask either. She wrapped her arms around her and let her tears shed on her shoulder. 

"Eirika you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, the bravest general and the most honest person, you are... everything I would like to be."

"That can't be true."

"It is! Only a person of your caliber could have made us win in our dire circumstances. "

As much as L'arachel praised her she couldn't convince herself that her words were real, so she didn't reply. She enjoyed the hug and was thankful that the other woman didn't say anything for the next few minutes. It was strange of her, L'arachel was also down ...? She didn't know whether to blame herself. 

"I'm sure Lyon would be very proud of you." She said, while gently kissing her cheek.

That was the last real conversation they had. The next morning they were leaving for their own kingdom, and no matter her farewells, she didn't speak much to anyone. Yes, she saw L'arachel, but she only gave her a few short words of encouragement. She had the precious stone again, which thanks to the daylight she could distinguish that it was a ruby, but with a very uncharacteristic nervousness she put it back just as the night before.

Eirika did not ask and left for Renais.

And now, after so long, without any letters from the other woman... She hadn't sent any either, but she didn't the have time. During the war they talked every day, they ate together, walks, afternoons, mornings, so much time together, they even shared a tent in the last weeks. But after that conversation she felt uncomfortable, embarrassed to contact her. 

L'arachel had meant so much to her, with her curly lime hair, with her wide smile and impatient optimism that when she was no longer with her she did not know how to speak to her again. She would like to have the same mentality as during the war but the truth was that her moods had gone from bad to worse, and each week it became more and more difficult to try to write a letter.

But it was finally L'arachel who had contacted her. The one who had reached out and held hands as the two parted. Would she be able to extend hers as well?

With her heart in her throat, she carefully opened the letter, knowing that if she left it unread, she would do the same thing she had done for a year: wait like a coward.

_ My dearest Eirika, _

The letter began formally. Usual for a person who valued her nobility like L'arachel, but Eirika could hear her voice speaking to her. It made her feel calm, as well as a certain emotion in her stomach. It reminded her of soft hands and sweet caresses, shared cakes and afternoons training in the green forests of the continent accompanied by the music of their laughter.

_ First of all I want to apologize for not sending a letter sooner to the most beautiful princess on this entire continent. I know I sent a letter apologizing for not being able to attend the coronation of your brother, King Ephraim, but that can hardly be considered a personal letter.  _

She ignored the entire apology and focused on " _ the most beautiful princess on this entire continent _ ." So long without hearing or reading L'arachel speak had made her unaccustomed to her… peculiar way of saying things, and now a slight tint of red covered her face.

_ I forgive you in advance because you have not written to me. A princess of your caliber is sure to be very busy, right? Renais is a very fortunate country to have someone so talented in command - well, not completely in command. Your brother is the king and you are helping him. If I were the one to choose the rulers, you would be the queen, not only of Renais but of Magvel as a whole! I would be by your side, of course.  _

This... was too much. L'arachel spoke to her as she had spoken to her during their months together and her face was completely red. L'arachel had her on a pedestal that was sometimes uncomfortable, but her optimism was what she needed right now. Someone who believed in her through it all and trusted her leadership… she couldn't thank her enough.

Next was a huge section crossed out, unfit for L'arachel and a royal letter. In general the next part of the letter seemed to be written in a hurry, without the care of the previous two paragraphs.

In order to read the crossed out part Eirika held the paper up to the light, revealing the letters.

_ You would want me by your side, right?  _

An inappropriate question for someone with L'arachel's ego. Eirika became concerned, but kept reading. 

_ Maybe as your queen or just as an advisor, or as your closest friend. Any of these positions, I would accept them all, because the most important thing for me is to be by your side, Eirika. _

Eirika stared at the letter. She knew that she was important to L'arachel. L'arachel was important to her. During the time they were apart she missed her greatly but… 

“ _ Maybe as your queen. _ "

Red, again, covering her face. L'arachel always made these kinds of comments, right? It was probably not as serious as she was imagining. L'arachel was a very caring person and these kinds of expressions out of context, without her high-pitched and fast voice that keeps spouting words can be misinterpreted. 

Her heart was beating fast. But it was better to ignore it, she still had a letter to read and she didn't know what to answer her.

_ My uncle has given me an opportunity. Rausten, taking the least damage of all the kingdoms, is almost fully recovered. I've been working hard these months to get closer to how people talk about my parents. I want to get even a little closer to their glory. Now I can go on a trip across the continent again. Dozla and Rennac will not accompany me unfortunately, they have some things to finish here in our holy land. _

_ However, Joshua, with whom I speak from time to time through letters, has confessed to me how he misses his life as a mercenary. His kingdom is also calmer, and he has decided to take a few months off, offering to accompany me.  _

_ My proposal is as follows, my beloved Eirika: Would you accompany me on my new journey to rid Magvel of evil? _

_ I will wait a month for your answer, which I look forward to, before leaving.  _

_ With love, L'arachel, Princess of Rausten.  _

She closed the letter. It was a proposal… It was a risky proposal. 

Her first answer was no, but the more she thought about it the more tempting it was. Before the war she had hated all violence other than self-defense, and although she was nowhere near the level of stubbornness and impulsiveness of her brother, she missed the sword. 

From time to time, late at night, when she strolled through the already restored gardens of the royal castle, she remembered calling herself Erina and posing as a mere mercenary. She had never been a violent person but despite the blood that was shed, she felt happiness when she protected the defenseless villagers from the bandits.


	2. Chapter 2

_ Dear L'arachel, _

_ You need not worry about not having sent a letter in the time we have been apart or about attending my brother's coronation. _

_ Aftet all, I didn’t send you any either, and we ourselves have not been able to attend the coronation of our colleagues and friends, we had too many things to attend to.  _

_ Before answering your question, I want to ask you one myself. What meaning do those crossed out words have?  _

_ Now that I've written down the question that plagues my mind, I'll be honest: There is nothing that would make me happier than going on a trip with you and our former colleague. Yes, I would want you by my side. Palace life has become stressful for me and I appreciate your offer.  _

_ Sorry for taking a long time to reply but I have debated at length about this. Both Seth and my brother noticed, and while Seth reminded me of my royal duties with a bit of desperation in his tone, Ephraim was in a good mood: He compared us both and then remarked how happy we were together during the march against the Demon King. _

_ He supports my decision.  _

_ But Seth, with his wisdom is right too. It will only be about two or three months until things calm down enough that I can help out on the front lines. You have asked me a question, and I answer you with another:  _

_ Would you wait for me? _

_ With great affection, Princess Eirika. _

* * *

_ My dearest Eirika,  _

_ I would wait for you for years, but the preparations cannot say the same. _

_ I'm sorry to tell you that I can't, but the trip to Jehanna and the road to your castle may give you enough time. We will knock on the door of the royal palace of Renais to pick up the most beautiful lady, if she pleases. _

_ Sorry for this short letter, but before I tell you about the events of my life in writing I prefer to do it when we meet face to face. _

_ Since closing letters with a question has become our custom, it seems I will ask one. _

_ Will you forgive me? _

_ With love, L'arachel, Princess of Rausten.  _

* * *

_ Dear L'arachel,  _

_ It would be impossible for me not to wait for you. I forgive you.  _

_ Seth is still not happy with my decision, but my brother has managed to convince him that he is capable of reigning alone, that he has enough help. It makes me a little sad to think that I am not necessary, but I know that is not what he means.  _

_ Thinking about leaving I have noticed a certain unexpected happiness. I am happy to see you but also to leave. Not only because of leaving work and long days of paperwork behind, but because of a strange weight that hung over my heart and that little by little is going away.  _

_ This palace has given me great happiness over the years but it's also where my father died. It was my last glimpse of "normality" before... the whole war happened. It is a happy memory with a layer of bitterness over it, it is the memory of… of that woman brought back to life who was nothing more than a soulless monster.  _

_ Sorry to bother you with my thoughts, but writing this lets me put them in order.  _

_ Returning to the issue that concerns us, if you arrive in a week or in a month it will not matter. I will have my sword and my things ready for the journey, whether you arrive at night or at noon. _

_ I want to thank you again for the offer. It's like you know me inside and out.  _

_ If you allow me, I will ask you one more time. What does that crossed-out paragraph in your first letter mean? Every once in a while, in fact, more frequently than I'd like to admit, I read it again and wonder what your intentions are.  _

_ I have my own theories but I would like you to explain to me what you mean. _

_ I was going to end my letter with that question, but I have a more important one. I suppose this will be the last letter to reach your palace in Rausten. I know it is difficult to write while traveling and I am not asking that of you.  _

_ All I ask of you, no, I beg you, is that you respond with one last letter. There is no reason to ask you this, I just want to read your words one last time before seeing you when you come to pick up this patient lady.  _

_ A kiss, Princess Eirika. _

* * *

  
  


_ My dearest Eirika,  _

_ I am delighted to know that you are waiting for my letters. _

_ I will deliver this letter just before leaving, so you will wait as little as possible for my arrival. If necessary I will climb the plants in your garden to your window and snatch you from Seth's evil clutches to lead you on this our adventure. I'm not joking!  
_

_ The trip will be boring without you, but I can handle it. I'll miss you, and people to travel with until I get to Jehanna. My uncle has allowed me to travel alone this time, I think I already told you in the first letter. _

_ I'm happy to be stronger this time, to be more suited to destroy evil on our continent. If this brings back bad memories, I'm really sorry. I would also like our strength to have come from other circumstances.  _

_ But we have to work with what we have.  _

_ According to the question you have asked me twice already, I am afraid that I am not able to give you an answer. What more can what I told you mean than the tremendous love I have for you, my best friend?  _

_ I look forward to seeing you. _

_ The princess of Rausten, L'arachel _

_ Many kisses. _

* * *

Eirika reread the letter once more. It was the last words she would have from L'arachel until she came to pick her up.

She reread the part about Seth and couldn't help but laugh a little. Seth was not the villain holding her back as L'arachel described him, far from it, the man was indeed right to be cautious. But the childishness of her words and her honesty touched her.

Yet she didn't like how she had evaded her question again. Maybe she was exaggerating her words and giving it too much thought. She drew out the first letter again and gave it a read.  


_ You would want me by your side, right?Maybe as your queen or just as an advisor, or as your closest friend. Any of these positions, I would accept them all, because the most important thing for me is to be by your side, Eirika. _

She couldn't read the text without blushing, or denying that it had a… certain romantic touch. Although L'arachel denied it. Perhaps it was she alone who was reading it the way it was not. Maybe she was the one who wanted it to be romantic. 

Maybe…

Maybe-

_ oh _

It made… it made sense. Looking back, it was the most logical explanation, but her mind had been busy with too much things to stop and think about it.

She wanted to be surprised when realizing that perhaps she was  _ a little in  _ love with L'arachel but instead she only found the comfort of knowledge. It didn't seem like anything new, nothing strange. It felt natural. Why would she blush so intensely every time she flattered her, then? Why would she feel the need to escape with her from palace life, to take her hand and for her to take hers and never let go?

It could be simple friendship, her anguish in the palace and a million other reasons that justified her behavior. Stress, a friend's familiarity with the shock of new and old that her new life brought, lack of sleep, and the promise of a good time.

But being… in love with L'arachel was the only reason that made sense to her. 

This fact was going to make it much more difficult to travel with her friend. But she had already said yes, L'arachel had already made all those promises and she would rather escape with her, no matter how difficult it was for her heart, than to stay one more day in the palace having to listen to the nobles.


	3. Chapter 3

L'arachel arrived on a starry night accompanied by Jehanna's king, Joshua. As promised in her letter, she climbed the plants in the garden (actually, she asked Joshua to help her up) and knocked on the window of the sleeping princess of Renais. 

One, two and three knocks were not enough to wake her up. She had to open the window and slowly approach, fighting the urge to scream, run, and hug her. Finally, after so many months they were together next to each other. 

Thanks to the moonlight L'arachel could faintly see Eirika's features and compare the face that her memory remembered with the one in front of her: Longer, less cheeks, more adult but still with a characteristic childhood. Her lips were slightly parted and under her eyes, dark circles. She hadn't been sleeping well.

Rausten's ruby grew heavy in her pocket, but she ignored it. L'arachel leaned close to her friend's ear and whispered. 

"Dear lady, your brave knight has arrived."

In an instant Eirika jumped to her feet, clutching the dagger she kept under her pillow. L'arachel had to move quickly away, thinking that perhaps she should have been more careful before sneaking into her friend's royal chambers.

"L'arachel!?"

The girl carefully withdrew the dagger from her throat. She missed Eirika so much that she didn't care for the anger with which she looked at her. 

"I told you I would come for you at any time, didn't I?"

"Yes, but ..." Eirika combed her hair a bit with her hand and adjusted her pajamas. It was a little late to keep up appearances, considering that she and L'arachel had shared a tent in the war, but she should at least try to keep a little control over the situation. “How come the guards haven't stopped you? How did you manage to climb up to my window, and how did you get here so fast? "

"That doesn't matter Eirika, grab your things and let's go."

L'arachel took her hand and was ready to go out the window again. Eirika appreciated the physical contact, but couldn't leave without telling anyone. She didn't move and L'arachel looked back at her, concerned. 

"What’s wrong?"

"I have my things packed, but I can't leave without telling my brother, or Seth."

Eirika took back her hand, something that saddened L'arachel, to dress herself up. She started by removing her pajama top before realizing that the other woman was obviously still in the room.

"Could you turn around, L'arachel?"

"Oh! Of course."

Despite the fact that L'arachel had never been the sharpest of minds, Eirika could tell that she was distracted. She decided it might be the hour and began to change, not wanting to waste a lot of time while the other woman waited. 

She didn't want to be recognized as royalty, it had already been too obvious last time. Prepared for this a few days ago, she had gone down to the city for a jacket and pants that would pass for those of a mercenary, as well as gloves and belts. She used them for hunting and trained a bit with them to make them look used, and for the shoes she asked one of the apprentice soldiers for some boots. 

When she finished she grabbed L'arachel's hand who was still in place staring at the wall, and said a little "ah" upon noticing the contact. 

"Come with me to my brother's room."

L'arachel blushed slightly and nodded. It felt strange walking the same corridors that had been besieged more than two years ago. Where she had seen destruction before there was now gold and luxury, just as a palace should look, but surely not as it looked before the disaster. She made a note in her head to ask her uncle for more financial help for Renais.

Since Eirika had awakened L'arachel had felt a lump in her throat that prevented her from speaking everything she normally spoke and that drowned out the nervousness that normally ran through her. As Eirika led her through the long corridors of the palace she could only focus on their clasped hands and how warm they felt. 

It was a somewhat uncomfortable moment, she was trying to find a topic of conversation to whisper to her friend but she couldn’t find any that was suitable. What could she say to someone as beautiful as the Princess of Renais that would be of interest to her, when the only thing that crossed her mind was how soft her hands were, how delicate her skin was and how her eyes shone?

She wanted to tell her about her lips and cheeks, how she found her ears pretty, and how soft it would be to run her hands through her hair, but it all seemed inappropriate for the situation. She knew that she had written about these feelings, she knew that she had told Eirika in the war and she knew that there was nothing wrong with them. 

But when Eirika, halfway there, turned and gave her a smile, she knew that rather than speak she preferred to admire the moment. 

"We're here" she said, and separated their hands.

L'arachel wanted to bring them together again for a brief second but gave up. Eirika was already knocking on her brother's door and she could hear Ephraim getting up in confusion. 

She decided to stay away and not participate in the conversation. A half asleep Ephraim waved at her before saying something quietly to Eirika that made her blush. Now she regretted not getting close earlier, but before she could think more about it Ephraim retired to his chambers and Eirika took her hand again. 

"Now, Seth."

"If he doesn't want you to go, I don't care. Get ready to run, because I already have the horses ready!" 

Eirika chuckled and that warmed L'arachel's heart. She wanted to protect that smile, she wanted to continue with their hands clasped as long as possible. 

"He's not as bad as you think." 

"Hmpf! We'll see!" 

Eirika laughed again, this time louder and freer. Red colored her face and she felt no need to hide it, and with the happiness that ran through her body, with this warmth and this feeling that she was with who she should be and no one else, they continued towards Seth's room. 

The man didn’t notice the death glare that L'arachel was giving him, and with perhaps too many recommendations and rules he let them go. 

When they returned to the patio where Josua was waiting the sun was beginning to rise and the man was asleep. It was not enough to wake him up, as L'arachel let a scream of happiness that she had been keeping all the way through the castle go. 

She took Eirika's face between her two hands and moved closer, so close that the other girl believed for a few seconds that she was going to kiss her. 

"Eirika! I'm so happy we're together again!"

"Me too, me too!" She answered.

L'arachel stared at her, her eyes and her lips, and although Eirika suspected what she wanted to do she took the initiative this time and gave her a hug. She could feel L'arachel tense a bit before hugging her back, surely disappointed, but it was too big a step for Eirika. So this time, it would be just a hug. 


	4. Chapter 4

The first two weeks of the trip were uneventful. No bandit dared to attack any village, the reconstruction was progressing well and the soldiers were well directed and in charge of helping to protect the population. As soon as Eirika had an opportunity she wrote to her brother.

Everything that Eirika had been working on all this time had been worth it, and instead of staying in her room wondering if the news coming from her kingdom were false or exaggerated to make them feel better, now she could see first-hand that yes, her work had improved the lives of her citizens. 

She had to thank L'arachel a million times for offering her this opportunity. She felt better than she had felt since the war began, and although she felt irresponsible at times for not helping her brother, a fleeting glance at the other woman reminded her that her selfishness had won and that she didn't feel sorry or guilty at all.

Although she felt happier there was still something that weighed on her conscience: The words of L'arachel's first letter. Her friend had made no mention of them (in fact she was still just as loving and complimentedher on everything she did), and Eirika hadn't wanted to bother her. 

The thing that made her think about the crossed out words the most was the fact that they were crossed out. If she had simply included them with the rest of the text Eirika wouldn't have seen anything strange about them- Yes, they were quite romantic, but it was nothing exaggerated compared to how L'arachel spoke normally, with the words that Eirika confused with friendship. 

The fact that they were crossed out meant that they were something more, that they had more feelings than the rest of the praises she dedicated to her every day. If they didn't mean something else to L'arachel, as she had said in that letter and something she doubted, they certainly meant something else to Eirika. She knew she was not the smartest person when it came to discovering what others were up to, and in all the time she had known L'arachel she hadn't considered that perhaps everything she said was not exactly platonic. It wasn't until those words that made her realize her own feelings that she began to consider L'arachel's true intentions. 

Eirika knew that if she kept thinking about the same thing and didn't ask her directly again she would only think in circles - there was nothing more to discover. She was sure that L'arachel had feelings for her, or so she hoped. Without the other woman intervening, things wouldn't go further.

Joshua, who was walking beside her, talked.

“Watch out for the roots of the trees. In this area they are very large, you might fall. "

"Oh! sorry."

L'arachel was further forward, pulling her horse by the reins. From time to time she would speak to them, almost shouting, about how excited she was to see Gerik again, how she would beat him in combat, and how much she loved his mercenary stories back in the war.

"It almost seems like she's more excited to see my boyfriend than I am."

Eirika laughed. L'arachel was always a very lively person, a hurricane that passed through your life and turned it upside down and you still thanked her. She wanted to go with her and hold hands, but with Joshua there she was too embarrassed.

“Because she is. She is always like that, she really likes being with other people. "

“I know, I know… When we were going to pick you up she couldn't stop talking about you. How much she wanted to see you again, how she had missed you and how she cried every night thinking about your beautiful blue eyes, as she said. You are her only topic of conversation, you know? "

She blushed. Yes, she had known it for a long time, but it had taken too long to realize what it could mean. "Yes, I know."

The conversation was a little awkward for her, and Joshua noticed. The next few minutes were silent, each of them observing the lush vegetation of the forest. Eirika wanted to ask him something, but didn't know if she would dare. She didn't want to sound silly, young, and inexperienced, but there was no one to consult other than L'arachel herself - and she knew her advice would be useless. 

"Joshua." She said, after taking a deep breath.

"Hm?"

“How… How did you get to date Gerik? How did you realize that he liked you too, and how did you ask him? "

"Are you asking me for a particular reason?" He said mockingly, suspecting the reason for the question. Upon receiving a silence from Eirika - she didn't know what to answer - he sighed and replied. "Eirika, princess Eirika. I didn't know at all if he liked me or not. But you know I like gambling, right?" She nodded. “Tossing a coin and asking it if he wanted to go out with me didn't differ much from actually asking him. You just have to steel yourself and toss it, trust your luck and don't back down. If you only play it safe, you won't get anything. "

"I understand..." She said thoughtfully. She looked at L'arachel, questioning if she would really be able to toss the coin. She didn't feel brave enough.

Interrupting her thoughts, Joshua clapped her hard on the back. "Although considering your situation, I would say that your coin has two sides that are the same."

* * *

Gerik was a huge group addiction - he was strong, he was sociable, he was kind and best of all for L'arachel: he kept Joshua busy and she could spend time alone with Eirika.

From the moment they met again, no, from the moment she had invited Renais's army to stay in her palace back in the war, she had saved  **the** ruby to give it to Eirika. She would have preferred it to be a sapphire, it suited the princess's eyes and hair more, but Rausten tradition indicated that it must be a ruby, the ruby her father had given her mother.

Not that she was following tradition much, considering that she wanted to give it to a woman, but that was a small detail. She remembered how every night Dozla had read her the tales of the knights giving the precious stone to the beautiful lady they had saved, asking for her hand in marriage -Although Dozla changed the phrase to “ask her to be his friend” when L'arachel still couldn't read what it said in the books.

She hadn't even revealed her true feelings to Eirika yet, though not that she hid them much in the first place. Even so, she tried to make sure that everything she said could be taken as platonic, well, for obvious reasons. She knew she had a reputation for being a fool but she could be a serious person when she wanted to. 

Just as her dream was to rid the continent of evil in the same way her parents did, just as in fairy tales, she found a certain romanticism in following the traditions of the knights of her childhood. Her high standards, which she knew she could reach, determined that the moment was to be perfect, not when her princess was mourning the death of a friend, not when she was talking about restoring her fallen kingdom, not when Joshua was half dozing with a bottle of alcohol in front of them.

But even now when they spent time alone she couldn't find the time, and she was beginning to being tired of her own excuses. Maybe it's not that she was looking for the perfect moment, maybe it's that she was afraid that Eirika would reject her and ruin their friendship. Clearly a princess should not succumb to such doubts, such cowardice, but assumptions didn’t stop making the whole situation difficult.

And so, day after day, the ruby waited in her pocket, weighing more and more on her consciousness. 

L'arachel had noticed that since Eirika had joined their group she had initiated more physical contact than normal- holding her hand, her arm, stroking her cheek and sometimes sitting too close. Not that it bothered her, in fact it gave her hope. 

But she couldn't stop questioning the reasons for the change in attitude. In the war she was stressed and surely didn't feel like doing all those things, and maybe after having been locked up for so long working she missed her friend more than ever and wasn’t doing it because of supposed feelings towards L'arachel, perhaps even her personality had changed a little over time, the one they had been apart and-

Millions of scenarios that justified Eirika not having the same feelings towards her. It's not that L'arachel had low self-esteem, she saw completely reasonable that people fell in love with her, she was a beauty after all. 

But Eirika was Eirika, the princess who surpassed her in beauty and whom she wanted to keep close every day of her life. 

L'arachel had to be as perfect as her, as perfect as the legends talked about her parents, and as perfect as the knights in her fairy tales. If she was going to take a big step like confessing that could ruin her relationship with her dearest friend, she had to analyze the situation carefully first. 

It didn't help much that romance was her weak point. Her only experience was what Dozla had told her and what she had seen of her companions in the war, and it was the only subject that made her blush and truly insecure. 

She took a deep breath.

It was just as she had told Eirika in that letter she sent months ago. She just wanted to be by her side, if it was as a lover or as a friend ... it was Eirika’s decision. 

But of course, for it to be her decision, she had to give her the option to decide. 

She sighed and laid back on the bed in her tent. They were on an esplanade, the closest town a few days away. They were approaching the most conflictive area, fewer soldiers, bandits who took advantage of the towns destroyed by the great earthquake and monsters that had been left roaming the lands after the fall of the demon king. 

Her journey full of happiness and peace was going to end shortly, and although inside she was excited to help people and earn her renown as an heroine, her body was also filled with anxiety about the lack of time to tell her and Eirika's feelings.  


What if when fighting again the sadness returned to Eirika? What if between fight and fight there was never a good opportunity to tell her and they both returned to their kingdoms as they had done the first time, without speaking about their feelings, and she went back to being alone under her window dreaming of the princess who saved the world while living with regrets? 

She couldn't let that happen again, but it was so complicated… She had never faced a problem like this and had no idea how to fix it. 

She wanted to sleep and it was getting late, so she decided not to think anymore. At her side, in an already deep sleep, was the aforementioned Eirika, turning her back to her while breathing deeply. 

L'arachel smiled, happy that at least she was sleeping well. 

She was full of joy to be with her. Every second was the best of her life, every time they put their hands together she believed she was in heaven, but she wanted more and that didn't let her rest.


	5. Chapter 5

Monsters were easy to defeat. Without the power of the demon king they had become almost like walking straw sacks, and with just one touch of the sword they crumbled. But that didn't make them any less fearsome to the villagers, nor did it make them any less disgusting when all their clothes were soaked with their rotten-smelling meat and fluids. 

Eirika had decided to wash her clothes in the river after quite a tough battle - not because of her opponents but because of their sheer number. It was an uninhabited area, which since before the earthquake was mountainous and full of caves. The natural disaster had only made it worse, and too many monsters had been trapped. 

In the letters to Ephraim she tried to smooth the situation - she didn't want to worry him, she didn't want him to give up his royal responsibilities to pick up his spear and launch into battle again. 

Little by little they had begun to reach the nearest villages, which had been badly damaged by the earthquake and had little to pay them, and they thanked them too much for their help. 

"Mercenary Erina is the best I have ever seen! I will tell your story to my grandchildren!" An old woman told her, holding the arm of her pregnant daughter. 

It felt good to help the villagers in a more direct way, but the battles was always tough. 

L'arachel was at her side, cleaning her own clothes and humming a song. She recognized it from wartime, when L'arachel had studied magic alongside her and had sung it.  


It was cute how she concentrated and did all these little things without realizing.

As she looked at her she brushed a lock of hair from her face, something that caused the other woman to look at her curiously.

"Hm?"

"You look very pretty.”

L'arachel blushed and Eirika smiled. She tried to return the compliment, amidst some babbling, but Eirika could only admire her face. Lately she had tried to flatter the other woman like she did with her and the results had been wonderful. 

L'arachel was not in the least used to receiving the romantic attention she gave to others, and those advances, not yet very daring, made her blush too easily. This was a new side of the woman that Eirika loved.

"Hey L'arachel, what is this?" Eirika said after enjoying making L'arachel blush. It was among her things, a bright ruby. She recognized it from when she had left for Renais so long ago, but she wasn't sure if it was the same. 

"Ah, it's… a ruby." she swallowed.

"I already know that. But why do you have a ruby on this trip? Wouldn't that make us an easy target for bandits?"

"You see, it is the duty of the Princess of Rausten to always carry such precious stones!"

Eirika laughed loudly, so much so that even Joshua, who was in the camp, looked at them confused.

"L'arachel, I'm naive, but not so naive. Jewelry, certain clothes... I can understand. But a precious stone, like that? Isn't it a nuisance on such a trip? "

"Of course the incredible intellect of the most beautiful princess on this continent has been able to see through my lies, but it was totally plausible! Is it that you have never heard of protective amulets? Rausten is a very religious country, if you didn’t know!" She feigned offense. 

"Now that you say that, you might be right..." Eirika scratched her chin, a gesture L'arachel had seen Ephraim make as well. "May I ask what it is for?"

"It is a secret."

"A secret?" she asked, incredulous. It was the first time L'arachel had hidden something from her in such an obvious way. 

"Yup! A royal secret. If foreigners are told about it the whole nation will be in danger." 

"Ah, I see." Eirika smiled, picking up her already washed clothes. "Then I'll leave the little princess to her secrets."

When Eirika was gone the blush that L'arachel had been trying to hide ran through her body at ease and all the tension in her shoulders was released. For the first time in her life she had been able to lie and have the other person believe her, and this time for a matter of the utmost importance: her own feelings.

* * *

Each town meant an opportunity to fix their weapons and receive letters from their loved ones. When the situation had gotten more tense, the bandits and monsters working together, the battles being harder, the letters were a very welcome distraction for Eirika. 

Just like when she was in the castle, but in a very different way, the letters brought her comfort. In both places she helped people, either directly or through law and military, but at least now she didn't feel shut in. Using the sword again felt liberating, in a sense, but fighting bandits - those people who, perhaps, if they had done their job better, could have been saved months ago, years ago - was never easy. 

This is what her brother pointed out to her in the letter, damaged by time and the elements of the roads, damaged by Eirika's hands, wrinkling it over and over again, thinking about what to answer or what to say exactly. 

“ _Our roles, reversed. Me in the palace waiting and you fighting evil, risking and throwing yourself into the jaws of battle. Isn't it curious?_

_ Do you enjoy it? The truth is that I have taken a liking to the calmer palace life, to this life of books and papers. I still need to stretch my legs and train every now and then for my peace of mind, but I have to admit this is not too bad.  _

_I would never take you for someone who likes violence, but war changes us all._ "

"I don't enjoy violence." Eirika whispered, and it was the first thing she wrote. 

_ "I just want to help people and this is the most direct way. Yes, I enjoy the sword but I do not like to hurt people with it. What I enjoy is the trip and our friends, not killing. I don't care about monsters, what's more, it's better if they disappear.  _

_ But I try to talk to every bandit, no matter how useless it is. I want to save them, as I have not been able to save many people.  _ _ I couldn't save him.  _ _ More than once Joshua has scolded me for this, but if I can convince just one to leave his life full of sin I will. " _

Having written this she sighed and left the table. She didn’t think she would be able to write much more in the day, but fortunately they were in a quiet town, not shaken by the earthquake and well hidden, not receiving many attacks. They could extend their stay a few days longer than planned, enjoy the momentary peace before returning to danger. 

She and L'arachel shared a room, and Joshua and Gerik shared another. Joshua had given her a quizzical look as they were reserving them, a look that she answered with a slight blush. L'arachel didn't notice anything and that was the most important thing.

The other woman had been out all day, talking to the people of the village and restocking their supplies. Eirika had hoped, even wished, that she had invited her, but L'arachel went alone. When she was left alone, she decided to order her things, her thoughts, and answer letters.

It was not until almost night, seven or eight in the afternoon (winter was getting closer every day), that L'arachel returned to the room. Eirika was resting, waiting for her to eat dinner, almost asleep but still awake. She was unperturbed by her arrival and didn’t greet her, they were so used to each other that it wasn’t necessary anymore. 

L'arachel was nervous, playing with the stone, the ruby, that she carried in her hands. She didn't know if it was the best decision, she didn't know the outcome or if her infinite luck would help her now. She had never stopped to think, always deciding to follow her hunches and be brave, but every now and then she had her insecurities, too. 

Eirika had her eyes closed but she knew she was awake. She stood in the middle of the room, in front of her bed.  _ Now or never _ , she told herself. 

"Eirika" 

"Hm?" The woman answered, half-opening her eyes. The flash of red gave away the object L'arachel was holding, and when she saw it she sat up in surprise. "Is that the ruby of Rausten?"

"Yes. I hope you do not think this all too sudden, but... Here, take it."

"Are you giving me the ruby?" Eirika took it in her hands, so cold yet so warm. She ran her thumbs across the stone, feeling the carefully carved letters and beautiful reliefs. She didn't know what the ruby was or what it meant to the other princess, but seeing it up close let her know that it was something very important. 

L'arachel was blushing, a red color adorned her face and made her look like her gift. A small smile tried to escape her lips, which wanted to detonate seriousness while Eirika waited impatiently for her explanation.

"This ruby has been in Rausten for generations. It is a valuable gem. I would be honored if ... I would like for you to have it." 

"What? No, I couldn't! It's far too precious to accept..." She tried to return it to her, to put it back in those hands so delicate and soft that had caressed her face over and over again, during the day while the sun created a warm scene and during the night when the terrors returned and the moon illuminated their faces with its pale light. 

Those hands that she had kissed so many times in a friendly way, perhaps not so friendly, and now were moving away leaving her with the ruby in hers. 

"No, I mean it. Please, accept this as a gift. Here. I won't allow you to refuse. It… It actually has a special meaning."

"Oh? Are you going to tell me your secret?" Eirika reached out to catch those hands that had fled earlier. She didn't want to return anything to her anymore, but just being in contact with L'arachel, caressing the palm of her hand, playing with her fingers, was nice. 

"Yes, and not just the secret you think of. That Ruby is a treasure. It is... the ruby that my father gave to my mother, my grandfather to my grandmother, and so on for generations. It is the royal treasure, it is… like a wedding ring."

L'arachel swallowed hard, looking away. Eirika was looking at her stunned, and between the warmth of her cheeks and the uncertainty she couldn't keep looking at her face.

"I wanted to give it to you a long time ago but no occasion seemed ideal, none was perfect for the most beautiful lady on this continent. Eirika, since I met you I have been in love with you, your beauty, your strength and your intelligence. I wouldn’t have grown as much as I have in these years without you, and I have to say that when we lost contact it felt like endless torture. Every day I dreamed of you being by my side again, holding my hand, both of us training or just spending the day together. I want to be by your side Eirika. " 

She paused to breathe. She could feel tears gathering in her eyes, tears that threatened to ruin the moment, her speech, and her entire confession. Eirika was still surprised, staring at the ruby and her, trying to search for the words as her face grew redder and redder, almost resembling L'arachel's. 

She wanted to speak but the other woman interrupted her. If Eirika talked now L’arachel wouldn’t say everything she wanted to say, and whatever the answer she felt this was important. 

"You would want me by your side, right, Eirika?" She started, with a smile on her lips. Eirika immediately recognized the question, that question from so long ago in an almost forgotten letter. A letter that had changed her life, that had given her so many opportunities. " _ Maybe as your queen or just as an advisor, or as your closest friend. Any of these positions I would accept, because the most important thing for me is to be by your side, Eirika.  _ The ruby is already yours, whether you accept it or not. "

She was crying and L’arachel realized that she didn’t care. When Eirika looked at her like this, with so much love in her beautiful eyes, she knew the moment was perfect enough just because the other woman was there. First she stammered, trying to find the words, and then Eirika could only say yes. 

"Yes, yes, yes, L'arachel. I want you by my side. Holding my hand, combing my hair, watching my back." She said, and rushed forward to hug her.

"I just want us not to part again." She admitted, weakly. 

"Never, L'arachel, never. I wish I had something to give you back..." 

"No need, Eirika! Your beauty and all the happiness you have given me is enough."

"No, it isn't. But I think I do have something to give you. Is my life enough for you?" 

"Is that a yes? A yes to my proposal, Eirika, as beautiful as you are?"

"Yes, L'arachel." She moved away a little so she could hold her face in her hands. "Not as a counselor, or as a best friend. L'arachel I ... I want you to be my queen, although my kingdom is not only mine. I want you to accompany me forever and visit my bed and tell me your stories. I want you caressing my face, doing the things you know will calm me down and I want you… to kiss me, L'arachel. "

L'arachel laughed with all her might. She had said it and Eirika had accepted her, after wondering for so long. 

"I'd be delighted," she said, and lunged forward.


End file.
